Franco Allavena Refuge

Access

The mountain hut can be reached all year round by car thanks to an asphalt road:

From Autostrada dei Fiori, exit at Bordighera, continue along the Via Aurelia towards Ventimiglia for about 4 km, then take the Valle Nervia provincial road [SP64] with signs for Dolceacqua, Pigna and Colla Melosa (travel time: about 1 hour).
Alternatively, exit at Arma di Taggia: follow the Valle Argentina provincial road [SP548] as far as Molini di Triora and, before the village, turn left following the signs for Colla Melosa and the Allavena Refuge (travel time: about 1 hour).

The mountain hut can also be reached on foot:

From Buggio (445 m) along E/EE paths in 3h30-4h.
From Triora (649 m), via Loreto, in about 4h.
From Briga (FR), passing by the Marta barracks, in about 5h (stretches along the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri).

Distance and travel time (from Bordighera):

🕒Travel time: 1 hour
📏 Distance: 36 km

GPS navigation

📍 How to get there with Google Maps
📍 How to get there with Apple Maps

ℹ️ Important note

The directions have been checked on the date of the survey. Before setting off, it is advisable to check the condition of the roads and paths, particularly the Sentiero degli Alpini, which has sections that are still undergoing maintenance and are subject to closure orders.

Introduction

The Franco Allavena Refuge is located at an altitude of 1,545 metres, in Colla Melosa in the municipality of Pigna, in the western Ligurian Alps, close to the French border. It is located in a panoramic position on the south-eastern slope of Monte Grai and is the highest refuge in Liguria open all year round. It is owned by the Region of Liguria and is managed by the CAI section of Bordighera.

Description

The structure has a recent but significant history. The CAI section of Bordighera, founded in 1947 under the presidency of Franco Allavena, immediately committed itself to the construction of an alpine refuge in this area. The first building, created from a renovated barracks, was inaugurated in October 1977 and dedicated to Allavena. In the years that followed, the increasing influx of hikers and skiers led to the construction of a new hut, opened on 3 September 1994, in a former military barracks.

The hut has 70 beds in dormitories and group rooms, with toilets, hot showers and winter heating. Inside there is a restaurant with around 80 seats that serves regional home cooking and a bar. The use of a sleeping bag or sheet bag is required. The hut also has winter equipment hire and a dedicated area for hikers and bikers.

From the hut, numerous hikes can be undertaken along routes of great scenic and historical interest. These include the Sentiero degli Alpini towards Monte Toraggio and Monte Pietravecchia, the routes towards Monte Grai and the Balcone di Marta fortifications, part of the Alpine Wall of the 1930s. The area is also crossed by the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri. In addition to hiking, the area offers opportunities for climbing, mountain biking, nature observation and, in winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Information

General Information

Quota: 1.545 m
Location: Colla Melosa - Municipality of Pigna (IM)
Chain: Ligurian Alps (Saccarello Group)

Property:

Management: CAI Bordighera - Sezione Nino Bonavia
Opening period: all year round
Capacity: 70 beds
Restaurant/bar: present (80 covers)
Contact: Tel. +39 0184 241155 - Mobile. +39 335 5211664
Official website: www.nuovorifugioallavena.it